Ski sled



M. M-. NUSS oct; 22, 1963 SKI SLED 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 23, 1962Oct. 22, 1963 M. M. NUSS SKI SLED Filed March 25, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Ill INVENTOR. Mar/V0490 M. Muss BY Arman/5r 3,197,923 Patented Oct. 22,1963 3,107,923 Sift SLED Maynard M. Nuss, Patton, Pa, assignor toSlice-Bird Manufacturing ompany, Ind, Patton, Pa. Filed Mar. 23, 1962,gar. No. 182,51 2 Qiaims. (Cl. 280-21) This invention relates to a skisled and more particularly to a sled construction which incorporates theuse of a pair of skis together with a ski platform thereabove and withsteering means provided whereby a child, for example, can achieveresults similar to those of a profes-.

sional skier, without the hazards involved.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel andunusual form of ski sled construction which incorporates in conjunctionwith a pair of skis a tubular frame, a seat platform and a steeringmeans incorporating a steering wheel tied into the framework, wherebythe user can achieve a tilting action of the skis similar to the normaloperation of the skis in a conventional manner.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel form ofski sled together with a novel form of frame structure and steeringarrangement incorporated therein and including a steering wheel by whichthe ski sled may be maneuverable as desired by the user.

It is another object of the present invention to incorporate within thefront framework portion of the ski sled a pair of vertically spacedparallel steering arms con nected with the respective skis, and for usein conjunction with a horizontal control bar, so connected with thesteering arms, and so interconnected with the steering wheel upon asteering post, that operation thereof will cause a tilting action of thesaid horizontal control arm for turning the parallel steering arms, andin order to achieve a bending or torque action relative to thelongitudinal axis of the respective skis, to thus produce a verymaneuverable action therein.

These and other objects will be seen from the following specificationand claims in conjunction with the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of the present ski sled.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof on a reduced scale.

FIG. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2 on an increased scale.

FIG. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2, on an increased scale.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section taken on line 5--5 of PEG. 3.

It will be understood that the above drawings illustrate merely apreferred embodiment of the invention and that other embodiments arecontemplated within the scope of the claims hereinafter set forth.

Referring to the drawings, the present ski sled includes a pair ofparallel spaced skis 11 in conventional form with upturned forwardportions 12 suitably interconnected by a framework. The said frameworkincludes longitudinally spaced front and rear frames, shown in FIGS. 1and 2, which extend transversely between and are secured to the skis 11,each of the said frames including a horizontal support means spacedabove the skis over which an elongated seat platform 26 is mounted andsecured as by fasteners 27.

A rear frame, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, includes a tubular supportmeans 13 whose respective opposite ends are curved downwardly formingthe upright supports 14, whose end plates 15 overlie and extendtransversely of end portions of the skis 11, and are fixedly securedthere-to as by the fasteners 16.

The framework for the present ski sled also includes a front frame,which includes the pair of upright tubular posts 17, closed at theirupper ends, and at their lower ends having transversely secured theretomounting plates 13, which span their respective skis 11 and are fixedlysecured thereto by suitable fasteners 19.

The front frame also includes a pair of transverse vertically spacedsteering arms -2028, which at their opposite ends are pivotallyconnected as at points 2-2 and 3% by suitable rivets to portions of therespective posts 17. The upper of the said steering arms 20 includes.bifurcated end portions 21 which extend over adiacent end portions ofpost 17 and are pivotally connected as by suitable rivets 22.

The lower steering arm 28 is likewise bifurcated at its ends as at 29 soas to receive intermediate portions of the upright posts 17 and ispivotally connected thereto as by the rivets 3t The framework for theski sled also includes the pair of parallel spaced longitudinallyextending tubular members 23 which interconnect the front and rearframes and are fixedly secure-d thereto as by the welds 24 and 25, FIGS.4 and 5. The formed seat platform, preferably constructed of plywood orthe like, as at 26, spans the pair of horizontal support means whichincludes a portion 13 of the rear frame and the arm 26 of the frontframe, and

is fixedly secured thereto by a series of fasteners 27.

An upright tubular steering post 31 is mounted and secured centrallyupon the upper of the steering arms 2t. For this purpose the saidsteering post includes the transverse end ilange 32 which overliessteering arm 2%? and is fixedly bolted thereto by the transverse bolts33, or suitable fasteners, or may be welded thereto as desired.

The transversely arranged bushing 34 is fixedly secured as by welding tothe upper end of steering post 31. The sprocket gear 35 has a centralmounting spindle 36 which bears against the front edge of bushing 34 andto define a shoulder in the said spindle, there is. provided a spindleextension 37 which is journaled through the said bushing and on theopposite side thereof is fixedly secured to the steering wheel 39, witha suitable Washer 3 8 being interposed between the steering wheel 39 andbushing 34.

The present invention also includes a cross-shaped steering column4d4=3, whose upper and lower upright portions 4i) are pivotallyconnected to the respective steering arms 20 and 28, as by the bolts orrivets 4142. The horizontally disposed arm 43, which forms a part of thesteering assembly, is fixedly interconnected with the upright portions46 as by the welds 44, and at one end has a looped portion 45 forconnection with the elongated rod Eye-bolt 46 is adjustably securedthrough the opposite end of the arm 43 as by the fasteners 47' and atits eyeportion 5 2 is connected to the lower end of a second partlyflexible rod 51. The respective upper ends of the rods 49 and 51 as atpoints 48 and 50 are swivelly or pivotally connected to the free endportions of the sprocket chain 4-7, which extends over and around and isdriven by the sprocket gear 35.

One of the most important parts of the present ski sled is of course itssteering apparatus. This is achieved by employing rectangular parallelsteering arms 26-28 actuated by the cross-shaped steering column 4ii4-3.The steering column is associated with the steering post 31, and ispivotally connected centrally to the steering arms 20 land 28.

Activation of the steering wheel 3-9, through the sprocket 35, chain 47and flexible rods 49 and 51 will cause a tilting ortwisting action ofthe elongated arm 43, which due to the rigid connection with the crossportions 40, forming a part of the steering assembly causes adisaligning of the steering arms 20 and 28. Thus the steering columnassembly is tilted. This throws the parallel steering arms 20 and 28[and upright posts 17 out of square and produces a tilting action toeach of the skis 11. This causes the skis to bend or torque to thusprovide a maneuverable action.

Accordingly, a child can obtain the same results as a professional skierwithout the hazards involved.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 2, adjacent the lower end of the steering post31, there is provided a suitable clip 53, fixedly secured thereto toprovide a means of attaching a rope for pulling the sled.

Having described my invention, reference should now be had to thefollowing claims.

I claim:

1. A ski sledcomprising a pair of parallel skis, longitudinally spacedfront and rear frames extending transversely between and secured to saidskis, and including horizontal support means spaced above the skis, anelongated seat platform mounted over and secured to said support means,the front frame including a pair of upright posts at their lower endsfixedly secured to said skis respectively, and a pair of transversevertically spaced steering arms at their opposite ends pivotallyconnected to said posts respectively, the upper of said arms definingthe support means of the front frame, an upright steering post mountedand secured centrally upon the said upper arm, a steering wheeljournaled upon the upper end of said steering post and including arotatable driving means, a cross-shaped steering column arrangedcentrally of and at its upper and lower ends pivotally connected to saidsteering arms respectively, land'movable driven means interconnectingthe rotatable driving means and the outer ends respectively of thehorizontal portion of said steering column, said rotatable driving meansbeing a sprocket gear, and said driven means including a sprocket chainand a pair of rods at their one ends pivotally connected to therespective ends of said chain, and at their other ends pivotallyconnected respectively to the respective ends of the horizontal portionof the steering column.

2. A ski sled comprising a pair of parallel skis, longitudinally spacedfront and rear frames extending transversely between and secured to saidskis, and including horizontal support means spaced above the skis, anelongated seat platform mounted over and secured to said support means,the front frame including a pair of upright posts at their lower endsfixedly secured to said skis respectively, and a pair of transversevertically spaced steering arms at their opposite ends pivotallyconnected to said posts respectively, the upper of said arms definingthe support means of the front frame, an upright steering post mountedand secured centrally upon the said upper arm, a steering wheeljournaled upon the upper end of said steering post and including arotatable diriving means, a cross-shaped steering column arrangedcentrally of and at its upper and lower ends pivotally connected to saidsteering arms respectively, and movable driven means interconnecting therotatable driving means and the outer ends respectively of thehorizontal portion of said steering column, said rotatable driving meansbeing a sprocket gear, and said driven means including a sprocket chainand a pair of rods at their one ends pivotally connected to therespective ends of said chain, the other end of one rod being pivotallyconnected to one end of the horizontal portion of the steering column,and an adjustable eye-bolt on the other end of the horizontal portion ofthe steering column, the other :end of the other rod being pivotallyconnected to said eye-bolt.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,051,614 Minish Jan. 28, 1913 1,836,623 Silvestri Dec. 15, 19312,026,440 Scholtes Dec. 31, 1935 2,814,811 Ritter et al Dec. 3, 1957FOREIGN PATENTS 145,814 Switzerland June 1, 1931

1. A SKI SLED COMPRISING A PAIR OF PARALLEL SKIS, LONGITUDINALLY SPACEDFRONT AND REAR FRAMES EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY BETWEEN AND SECURED TO SAIDSKIS, AND INCLUDING HORIZONTAL SUPPORT MEANS SPACED ABOVE THE SKIS, ANELONGATED SEAT PLATFORM MOUNTED OVER AND SECURED TO SAID SUPPORT MEANS,THE FRONT FRAME INCLUDING A PAIR OF UPRIGHT POSTS AT THEIR ENDS FIXEDLYSECURED TO SAID SKIS RESPECTIVELY, AND A PAIR OF TRANSVERSE VERTICALLYSPACED STEERING ARMS AT THEIR OPPOSITE ENDS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAIDPOSTS RESPECTIVELY, THE UPPER OF SAID ARMS DEFINING THE SUPPORT MEANS OFTHE FRONT FRAME, AN UPRIGHT STEERING POST MOUNTED AND SECURED CENTRALLYUPON THE SAID UPPER ARM, A STEERING WHEEL JOURNALED UPON THE UPPER ENDOF SAID STEERING POST AND INCLUDING A ROTATABLE DRIVING MEANS, ACROSS-SHAPED STEERING COLUMN ARRANGED CENTRALLY OF AND AT ITS UPPER ANDLOWER ENDS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID STEERING ARMS RESPECTIVELY, ANDMOVABLE DRIVEN MEANS INTERCONNECTING THE ROTATABLE DRIVING MEANS AND THEOUTER ENDS RESPECTIVELY OF THE HORIZONTAL PORTION OF SAID STEERINGCOLUMN, SAID ROTATABLE DRIVEN MEANS BEING A SPROCKET GEAR, AND SAIDDRIVEN MEANS INCLUDING A SPROCKET CHAIN AND A PAIR OF RODS AT THEIR ONEENDS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE RESPECTIVE ENDS OF SAID CHAIN, AND ATTHEIR OTHER ENDS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED RESPECTIVELY TO THE RESPECTIVE ENDSOF THE HORIZONTAL PORTION OF THE STEERING COLUMN.